Abstract

The carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic gas that results from incomplete combustion of carbon compounds that come from motor vehicle fuel. The presence of CO gas will be very dangerous if inhaled because it causes the formation of carboxyhaemoglobin. Based on the empirical approach is known that the structure of the chlorophyll molecule is consist of porphyrin which its structure is similar to the heme porphyrin of haemoglobin. Based on structural similarity between chlorophyll and hemoglobin, thought to chlorophyll can be used as an absorber of CO gas. Papaya plants (Carica papaya L.) are widely spread in Indonesia and have high leaf chlorophyll content. Therefore papaya leaf can be used as a source of chlorophyll that is easy to obtain. The purpose of this research is to know the ability of chlorophyll extract solution from papaya leaf on absorption against CO gas, knowing the optimum ratio of solvent composition in chlorophyll papaya leaf extract and to know the presence of physical changes that occur after the samples are treated with CO gas. This research used Completely Randomized Design (CRD) in one direction which consists of 6 treatments. The volume of each test solution was 500 ml with a ratio between acetone extract of papaya leaf 1% : distilled water : 85% acetone : distilled water extract of papaya leaf 1% in all solutions were A (0:5:0:0), B (1:4:0:0), C (3:2:0:0), D (5:0:0:0), E (0:0:5:0) and F (0:0:0:5). Each treatment contained CO and every 60 seconds was measured against the levels of CO gas. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, thus followed by a test DMRT (Duncan Multiple Range Test) and paired T test with a level 5%. The results showed that the extract solution of papaya leaf chlorophyll had the ability to absorb carbon monoxide (CO). Solution with 1:4 composition ratios between the solutions of acetone extract of papaya leaf 1% and distilled water was the optimum solution ratio to absorb CO gas. No color changes occured in each test solution. This indicated that the absorption process that occured was categorized as physical absorbtion. The proportion of time optimal absorption solution of acetone extract of papaya leaf chlorophyll against CO gas pollutants is 10 minute/1000ppm /Liter.